Yep, just double checked that now.

Alright, so as not to clutter this up anymore, and to hopefully get some more help on the issue, I have summed everything up in a new tech post over here: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/judge-dredd-ball-ends-early

If anyone has any ideas, please post them over there, and thank you to everyone who has helped me so far!

I'm hoping someone can help me with a strange problem that I have just developed within the last 3 days on my JD.

I was playing it and everything was going fine. Out of nowhere, without any funny noises or crazy sparking electronics, the lower left flipper just stopped working. Nothing. The other 3 played just fine.

I get no error codes when I start the machine up as is. When I go to flipper test in the diagnostics, all 3 work perfectly for hold and power but the lower left does nothing.

When I shut it off, replace the 3A fuse for that flipper, and turn the game on it instantly throws the lower left flipper up but has a rather nasty humming/buzzing noise. I immediately shut down and if I replace the new fuse with the original (presumed blown fuse) it will start up as before and will test fine except for that one.

In this state, the flipper buttons on the cabinet activate the other 3 just fine. Can someone start pointing me in a direction other than the circles I've been running in? I can not figure this one out. Seems to me that something strange is afoot.

In the picture below the fuse in question is the bottom left one F904. Please help, and thanks in advance!

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I would start by removing the fliptronics board and having a look at the back of it to see if any traces are burned out or shorted or anything like that. If that's all good and you don't see any obvious problems, you could start following the traces with a meter and see if anything if jumping out? I'm not a board expert by any means, but usually it's pretty obvious when something doesn't jive (especially when you have 3 other flippers to compare to).

Given that changing the fuse makes the flipper work again, I think you could probably rule out anything related to the actual flipper switches. You could also check the coil and make sure there are no shorts on it or anything (again, comparing it against the other flipper coils and such).

Thank you! Ok, so I did just pull the board but it appears to be pristine on both sides, no burnt traces or points that I can see. Checked all of the cables in the head for possible shorts too but nothing looks out of place. It's just so strange that it just stopped mid game with no warning.

I have a multimeter but I'm not an expert with it by any means. I just know that something caused the fuse to blow and something is pegging the voltage when I put a new one in. Is it possible the coil itself or the diodes could just "go" ? It has all new hardware including sleeves so....once again I just don't know.

Thanks!

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The driver transistor for that coil is likely shorted. That's why the flipper is powered as soon as you turn the game on and the fuse shortly blows. You can test the transistor with a DMM (instructions on pinwiki).

Ok I'll give that a try next. Thanks!

Had the same issue with a JD project machine recently and also using a new Rottendog Fliptronics board, turned out the board had a bad transistor, at Q3 if i remember rightly. Check that first, almost guarantee that's the issue.

I have a problem with my Judge Dredd's woofer not working. Speakers work fine just that the woofer doesn't. Reseated the connector at J1 everything looks ok. Connected an external sub but nada. Voltage is going to the sub however. I wonder if its a sound board issue.

Thank you!!!! What is the best way to check that with a multimeter? Do I need to have it hooked up and wired into the machine or can I do something as easy as testing the resistance with it out of the backbox? I apologize for the questions but I haven't had to worry too much about electrical/board issues up until now.

aaaand...something else that just dawned on me. I have a Demolition Man that I could just grab the Fliptronics board out of and test in the JD....if it works, voila! I wish I would have thought of that yesterday

Quoted from http://www.pinrepair.com/begin/#howdmm

Testing Transistors.
Testing transistors works much like testing diodes. Use the DMM's diode test. The individual electronic pinball repair guides cover all the transistor testing needed. See each repair guide for specific details. Some DMM's have a separate transistor tester. This works fine too, but requires the transistor be unsoldered from the board to use it (extremely inconvenient).

For the most part, the most common testing will be on "darlington" transistors (which means they are actually two transistors in one package) such as the TIP102, TIP122, TIP36 transistors. Also most testing is done "in circuit" (installed in the circuit board). For each of these have one lead of the DMM on the metal case (tab) of the transistor (which is usually the center leg of the transistor). Then the other lead of the DMM will test the outside two legs individually. A value of .4 to .6, or 1.0 to 1.2 should be seen, depending on the exact transistor, and which lead (red of black) is on the metal tab. The biggest indicator of a bad transistor would be a value less than .2 (probably a short). Look to the specific pinball repair guides for more exacting details of this. Also remember, a transistor can ocassionally test as "good", but in fact be bad.

Yes you could do this BUT better to test the Rottendog transistors first. I fell into the trap of replacing the fuse a couple of times but by that time it had also blown a diode on the left lower flipper coil. As it was explained to me it can cause a cascade effect. By trying your fliptronics board from your Demo man (i'm guessing it's an original Williams board) on your JD you run the risk of blowing a TIP on that board as well if the diode on the coil is blown. Testing as per Wizards previous post, that's a fairly accurate guide

Thank you all so much! I'll test her out tonight after work. You guys rock!

I can't believe it.......I'm a little irked that a new board component would go so quickly.....or that there is clearly a common issue....but I'm more amazed that mine is presenting the exact same issue on the exact same transistor!!!! Check these out, a good transistor picture of Q11 (they all behaved this way) and then Q3 which is flowing both directions and clearly shot. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the guidance....

Now I need to figure out how to replace it I haven't done any on-board solder work before, just coils and sockets. Should be a hoot.

Thanks again guys. More to follow, but at the very least I need to order a new transistor.

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I was a tad more than irked pretty sure i used some choice language at the time. Possibly a dud batch, who knows. The rest of the boards apart from the audio board on my project pin were all Rottendog and no issues with any of those. I had my Fliptronics repaired by someone else, i don't have a solder sucker although my soldering iron is fairly decent. I do know that the TIP transistors on the Rottendog board are different to the Williams one's though. If you've not done board work before i would advise extreme caution, really easy to stuff the tracks on a board. Hope it sorts the issue for you!! I would also advise changing the diodes on the lower left flipper coil, cheap to do and will cover all your bases. If one of those diodes has been blown in the whole process it will only short out the new TIP.

I have a spare Original Judge Dredd topper in fair/good condition if anyone is in need.
If you are local and pick up $100 (willing to bring to a future show with full payment in advance)
If you need it shipped $150 plus shipping costs

To give you a fair and upfront heads up, you can currently find the junky reproduction at BAA currently (they have 5 left). The consensus seems to be that those are an ugly color and not true to original. Most prefer the original which is tough to find.

Photos attached

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Hello everyone. I just bought a judge dredd yesterday. The ball keeps getting stuck in the center of the playfield though. Here is a picture. Has anyone had this problem before and, if so, do you have any advice? Thanks

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It's hard to tell from the angle of the pic but it appears that the ball is hitting the top of the subway entrance metal, can you confirm this?

Yes that is what was happened. I ended up raising the legs in the back though and it hasn't happened since. Thanks for responding though

new to the club. got a JD in a trade last weekend. good shape. needs a little more power in the flippers and auto-plunger, however. almost need a perfect shot to go up the ramps and the starting plunge usually doesn't make it around the back orbit. it'll come down to the top-right shorty.

you guys think i just need new coil sleeves or something else?

Check for bad solder joints on the back of your fliptronics board.

A flipper rebuild is probably also in order. JD plays like crap with worn down flipper assemblies. You should wiggle things around and see if there are loose flipper parts/springs/screws/stop brackets/bushings/plate screws/flipper shafts/ect.

EOS switches on JD are NOTORIOUS for going bad. I have had EVERY ONE fail on my machine at some point, in the last 7 years. Note: EOS switches always stay OPEN on Fliptronics games! The EOS would not be related to poor power but, that can cause other issues down the road.

You will probably be ok with using the original coils, if they test ok with an OHM check.

THE AUTOPLUNGER is probably ok... May just need a realignment. Confirm that is is striking the dead center of the ball and that when the ball travels up the shooter lane that is is not making contact with anything else. You may also need to adjust the metal plunger cover's teeth that point downward.

Helping a friend work on JD. sw 67 and 68 not registering. 67 is an opto...I have fixed lots of sw issues but never on a JD. Anything I should look for out of ordinary? Thinking start checking wires, replacing the sw opto's. etc.

thanks, buddy.

Always rebuild the flippers. Shooter probably needs to be tightened down, if not, a coil sleeve. What snyper said - check your EOS switches, reflow solder on fliptronics board.

Use your phone to see if they're even on. Clean with Q-tip and alcohol. Receivers seldom go bad, it's usually the transmitters. Broken wires/cold solder joints are also very common.

Which side is the transmitter get them confused....Was not sure if Iphones worked.

I have a HUO Dredd that has been in our family since it was about 2 years old. I think there is a timing issue of some sort with the left shooter. In the mode where the ball is held there until you hit the fire button to launch toward the targets it fires fine. When the ball goes to the left shooter at other times and is immediately ejected, it launches with much less force. It is as if the plunger fires before the ball is fully seated against it. I am wondering if there is some sort of adjustment that has to do with the roll over switch that triggers it.

Not sure if this makes a difference, but I found when I installed the deadworld mod that it is a very early production machine and I just had to change out the plastic ring for it to lock the balls there. Some of the switches were numbered differently and in different locations around the deadworld.

yeah, i don't think iphones work.

was that an oxymoron?

i think the transmitter is usually white, right? receiver, black.

i have found the "just needs sleeves" idea to be as misleading as the "JD is a $1400 game, brah" saying.

I was fortunate enough to join the club recently. Does anyone have any tips for diagnosing globe opto issues? They read open all the time during globe test and the cover does spin and the slots do seem to line up such that the opto might be able to see through them.

It's so cramped down there I don't know where to start.

Thanks!

If the globe keeps spinning and never stops for the crane to pick the ball out then it's most likely the opto on the small board underneath. The opto's aren't worth replacing if blown, cheaper to buy the whole board and still readily available (about $25 Aus dollars here, most likely less for you guys)
This is the one..
http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/A-16598

Probably get it cheaper at other sites

Does anyone know if there is a fuse for the crane solenoid? My crane doesn't pick up the ball.

you'd have more than the crane magnet malfunctioning, if it was a fuse. there's a single fuse for all the high power coils on the power board. 105, i believe.

what hardware do i need to mount my topper with the bracket?

Thanks. GLM makes a replacement that I'd be happy to pick up, but I'm wondering if perhaps it's a wiring or power issue to this opto board. Am I just not finding this board's wiring/header info in the manual or did they omit it?

If you have the topper and the bracket there is no other hardware required? If you do not have an original bracket just use a generic bracket from the harware store.

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Finally installed a couple of red led eyes for my Eagle. Simple but effective mod. Wired the eyes simply to one of the back box light strings.

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nothing is threaded already? just use whatever screws i have laying around? have topper; no bracket.

deadworld mod causing a few search modes and last night i had two balls getting shot out into the shooter lane. i assume it's related. is it hard to go back to original deadworld? i have the ring and rom. came in the trade.

Anybody do a color lcd in there Jd ,I have been thinking about it.

The game, and especially the deadworld mod, are extremely sensitive to any opto problems. Go into switch test and test all of the optos with a pinball. Make sure the crane is dropping the ball so it passes through the opto.

It's a must have. I had Color DMD on AC/DC and wasn't thrilled. JD, on the other hand, is fantastic.

Does this look right? My crane seems to low to grab the ball, how can you adjust it up higher?

The one rod underneath the crane should it be loose and move up and down easily because mine does..

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JD before and after the lexan playfield protector. I had to trim a small section by the standup targets but other than that it looks great.

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I doubt it would be a power issue as i think you would find that there would be other circuits effected as well. As for wiring....well it is possible there could be a break somewhere but i'd be leaning towards the board opto's being bad. Look at page 2-13 on the manual for the Planet opto board assembly. I believe it's 61 on the switch matrix but i may be wrong about that.

Yeah the movement of that rod is normal. The up and down movement is dictated by the shape of the plastic disc (cam) attached at the base of the lifter assembly. It is timed with the opto to drop the height of the rod at the exact moment the ball is underneath the magnet, which in itself is not magnetized for a long period of time. The setting up of the crane can be tricky! If you feel you need to lift the crane a little bit then do it in small amounts at a time. Hold that lower locknut with a spanner and then turn the top nut (dome) anticlockwise to make the rod longer, this will in turn lift the crane higher. There is a grub screw at the back of the pivot hub accessed through a hole in that plate behind that locks the crane on to the back rod. This is so you can change the distance the crane moves inwards on the ring to pick the ball up. You are looking at trying to align the magnet head directly above the ball when the ring stops, you may also need to adjust the 3 screws that hold the ring plastic down as that can move the ring to help with alignment of the ball under the crane. Just do small changes at a time and just keep in mind the goal of ball alignment under the crane, hope that helps ya

anybody have a list of what lights had color condoms on them back in '93? just the ones for the crime scene inserts?

It's in the manual. Page 2-41. I had a lot of fun changing them to something I liked when I LED'd my machine!!

yes, it is. i never noticed that in 1 year of looking at manuals. tyvm.